author: willandleah
created: 2006-01-31 16:34:19
servings: 4
notes:
This is a (slightly adapted) Nigel Slater recipe I found in the Observer recently when I was trying to find a use for some leftover chorizo. To be honest, I didn't expect much from it, since the ingredients seemed so simple, but it turned out brilliantly and Will and I scarfed it all down. I should just remember to trust Nigel in all things. Very nice on a cold winter's night, with some bread for dunking and a nice salad to round things out.
recipe:
2-3 Tbsp olive oil 2 large onions 4 cloves garlic 3 chorizo sausages (about 400 g or a scant pound) crushed dried chilis a glass of sherry, vermouth, or white wine (I used vermouth, being out of the other possibilities) 5 or 6 decent-sized tomatoes (I used a couple of handfuls of cherry tomatoes, it being winter) 2 x 400 g/16oz cans of chickpeas parsley Warm the olive oil in a deep, heavy-based pan. Peel the onions, roughly chop them, and add them to the oil, stirring to coat, then letting them cook at a moderate heat. Peel the garlic, slice it thinly, and stir it into the onions. Leave to cook, partially covered by a lid, until the onions are soft and pale gold. Cut each sausage into chunks and mix these in with the onions, then add a teaspoon or so of crushed dried chilis. (My chorizo, being more Mexican than Spanish, was plenty spicy, so I skipped this part, but go ahead if you like it hot.) Pour in a glass of dry sherry/vermouth/white wine and bring it to an enthusiastic bubble. Chop the tomatoes roughly (I just halved the cherry tomatoes because I'm lazy), add them, and bring to the boil. Add the chickpeas, drained and rinsed, then pour in a can full of water. Season with salt and black pepper, bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and leave to cook slowly, half-covered with a lid, for 45 minutes. Give them a stir from time to time, and check to make sure the liquid levels are okay. Nigel says, "What you want to end up with is a rich, brick-red sauce with a spiciness from the chillies and the chorizo." I can't say mine got brick-red, but it did get all soft and appealing by the end of 45 minutes. Just before serving, chop the parsley, roughly, then stir into the stew. Serve in shallow bowls.